printf with "%d" of numbers starting with 0 (ex "0102") giving unexpected answer (ex '"66")

StackOverflow https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19652583

  •  01-07-2022
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Question

I used below code in my printf statement.

void main()
{
    int n=0102;
    printf("%d", n);
}

This prints 66 as the answer. I also changed the value of variable n to 012. It gives the answer 10. Please help me regarding how this conversion is done???

Was it helpful?

Solution

This is because when the first digit of a number (integer constant) is 0 (and second must not be x or X), the compiler interprets it as an octal number. Printing it with %d will give you a decimal value.
To print octal value you should use %o specifier

   printf("%o", n);  

6.4.4.1 Integer constants:

  1. An integer constant begins with a digit, but has no period or exponent part. It may have a prefix that specifies its base and a suffix that specifies its type.

  2. A decimal constant begins with a nonzero digit and consists of a sequence of decimal digits. An octal constant consists of the prefix 0 optionally followed by a sequence of the digits 0 through 7 only. A hexadecimal constant consists of the prefix 0x or 0X followed by a sequence of the decimal digits and the letters a (or A) through f (or F) with values 10 through 15 respectively.


Integer Constants:

1.Decimal constants: Must not begins with 0.

 12  125  3546  

2.Octal Constants: Must begins with a 0.

 012 0125 03546  

3.Hexadecimal Constants: always begins with 0x or 0X.

 0xf 0xff 0X5fff   

OTHER TIPS

You tell printf to print the value in decimal (%d). Use %o to print it in octal.

any numeric literal starting with 0 followed only by numbers is taken as an octal number. Hence

0102 = (1 * 8^2) + (0  * 8^1) + (2 * 8^0)  = 64 + 0 + 2 = 66
012 = (1 * 8^1) + (2 * 8^0) = 8 + 2 = 10

here the problem is when you used 0 before 102 compiler is considering it as a octal number. this is a rule. and when you are using %d to print the number it is converting the octal number into decimal number. that why you are getting 66 which is decimal form of octal 102.

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